Tourists gather together from around the world on two well-known dates “October 22nd & February 22nd” to witness the magnificence Abu Simbel Sun Festival. These two temples were built in the 13th century through the 19th century. Ramses II wanted to commemorate his victory in the battle of Kadesh. So what is so special about Abu Simbel temples, its history, and how did the process of Abu Simbel temple relocation?? Here all things need to know about Abu Simbel temple relocaion process:
Abu Simbel Temple Relocation Process Step-by-Step
Abu Simbel Temple History
The temple of Abu Simbel was built during the reign of Ramesses II and the temple is actually two separate temples through which king Ramesses II wanted to immortalize his love to his most beloved wife “Nefertari”.
The great temple of Ramesses II is dedicated to Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah and is a well-preserved temple in which Ramesses II decided to prepare a terrific celebration inside in two different dates; February 22nd the date of reaching the throne and October 22nd his birthday. In such a festival, you will find three of Ramesses’ statues are lighted with the sun rays except for the fourth statue of Ptah, who was the dark god. The smaller temple was dedicated to Hathor & Nefertari.
Salvaging Abu Simbel Temple
Abu Simbel temple was discovered in 1813 after being buried under the sands of the desert for a long time. After the construction of Aswan High Dam, the Nile water level in this area continued to rise dangerously, which was a serious threat to the Nubia area, especially the location of the Abu Simbel temples.
It was the UNESCO mission to join the Egyptian forces with an international team from Italy, Germany, Sweden, and other countries to launch a project to Abu Simbel temple relocation process in 1963 and the mission was successfully accomplished in 1968. Abu Simbel temple relocation mission coasted about $40 million and the effort of the international collaboration aimed to protect & save the world’s biggest historical monument. Abu Simbel temple relocation process was complex and involved many details as there was no place for any mistakes or lack of planning. The water of the High Dam would have eventually flooded the temples of Abu Simbel and there must be accurate procedures to save them.
Abu Simbel Temple Relocation Process Step-by-Step
First Stage: In order to save the temples of Abu Simbel as a primary solution, a cofferdam was built around Abu Simbel Temples to protect them from the rising water of the High Dam. This cofferdam was 370m wide and was made of steel sheets.
Second Stage: The government built drainage & a pumping station to prevent water from reaching the temples.
Third Stage: The excavation process started with extracting the walls & ceilings of the temples from inside the mountain and to protect them, they were all covered with sand fills to protect the temple’s parts from any debris.
Fourth Stage: A tunnel was dug for workers so that workers can enter and get out of the tunnel in an easy way.
Fifth Stage: The roof of the temple was supported by steel scaffolding & rubber sheets to protect the inscribed blocks through the cutting process.
Sixth Stage: Engineers ensured workers used only the electric jack until they reached a depth of 80cm. workers were so careful in cutting & rebuilding the 807 blocks of the great temple and the 235 blocks of the smaller ones.
Seventh Stage: Re-erecting the roofs & the walls of the temple were the next step in the Abu Simbel temple relocation process. They built two domes to cover the structure of the temple that is considered a very clever idea. The dome measured 17 m in depth and its foundation was 22 m high, the dome, which was built is considered the strongest dome in the world as it can carry the weight of the artificial hill.
Eight Stage: The statues of Ramesses II were cut, filled with chemical materials in addition to powder mixed with the fine dust of the cutting blocks to give the same color.
Ninth Stage: The engineers cut the blocks of stone temples and then numbered them so that they can be easily installed after the transfer.
Tenth Stage: They moved the block of stones at the place of the new temple, which is away from the old place by about 120 meters and at a height of 60 meters from what was previously.
Eleventh Stage: It started to be installed in the stones blocks of Abu Simbel temple again from the last part of the temples from the inside to the outer gate.
Twelfth Stage: The concrete domes were built under the artificial mountain rocks and above the two temples to ease a load of mountain rocks on the two temples, thus, the temples of Abu Simbel were successfully moved into one of the largest projects of the last century.
The intricate calculations to achieve the original solar-alignment remains the most impressive thing about the salvage project. This matter is similar to what ancient engineers were able to achieve to occur twice a year to illuminate the face of Ramesses II.
Best Journey to the Monuments Upper and Lower Egypt
Visiting Abu Simbel temple with our majestic Egypt tour packages or Nile cruises is a life-changing experience through which you’ll find yourself in one of the most important ancient achievements, know everything about the dedication of the Egyptian Pharaohs to their gods, their work, and their social life and surely you’ll be a lucky person if you got the chance to witness the magical sun festival.
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FAQ
What Should I Wear While Being in Egypt?
You should wear whatever you want. It is advised to wear something light from cotton or linen, comfortable and put on sunblock during your time in Egypt in the summer and wear comfortable footwear like a closed-toe shoe to sustain the sandy terrain.
What to Pack for Your Egypt Tour?
You should bring a brimmed hat and sunglasses if you not used to the Egyptian sun &pack everything you could ever need and put in a small bag so you could move easily between your destinations.
Are All Nile Cruises Available at Any Time?
Yes, it is available all years. as the Nile from Aswan to Luxor takes three to four days of sailing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the total cost of 600$ and the Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan take four to five days in Saturday, Monday and Thursday for the coast of 650$.
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Is it safe to travel to Egypt?
Yes, it is absolutely safe to travel to egypt, You will feel secure in Egypt as the current atmosphere of the country is very peaceful after the government took powerful measures like restructuring the entire tourist police to include all the important and tourist attractions in Egypt and construct an entire environment dedicated for ensuring the lives of all tourists.
What are Egypt's Visa Requirements?
They are very simples, If you want to apply for a Visa On Arrival that lasts for 30 days then you should be one of the eligible countries(check the link), have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining and pay 25$ USD entry fee in cash. As for the E-Visa for 30 days, you should have a valid passport for at least 8 months, complete the online application, pay the e-visa fee then print the e-visa to later be presented to the airport border guard. You could be one of the countries eligible for a free visa for 90 days.
What is the Weather is Like?
The temperature of Egypt ranges from 37c to 14 c, Summer in Egypt is somehow hot and winter is cool and mild but sometimes it becomes cold at night. The average of low temperatures vary from 9.5 ¡ÆC in the wintertime to 23 ¡ÆC in the summertime and average high temperatures vary from 17 ¡ÆC in the wintertime to 32 ¡ÆC in the summertime while the temperature is moderate all along the coasts.
What is the Best Time of Visit Egypt?
It is known the best time to travel to Egypt is in the winter from September to April as the climate becomes a bit tropical, a warm atmosphere with a winter breeze. You will also be notified a week before your trip if the weather is unsafe or if any changes have been made.
Should I Give Tips in Egypt?
It is totally up to you, but if you choose to you can tip the servers at your restaurant 5-10% by handing it to them directly and 5 Egyptian Pounds as a general tip of anyone.
Can I Enter the Pyramids?
Yes, you can enter the pyramids for the small fee of 20$.
How to Enjoy Egypt During Ramadan?
Ramadan is a special time of year for Muslims that should be celebrated by non-Muslims and feel the essence of the Islamic culture. You can fast with the Muslim or just observe but you are always welcome to join the celebrations and festivals.
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